Sadie's Best Friend + Mine

How would you feel if your best friend you'd known all your life moved away...

Well, Sadie doesn't really understand that Emma has moved away. So she doesn't really feel anything. But I'm sure if she could grasp the concept of 5 months apart and Emma being very far away - she'd be pretty upset.

These girls love each other. Emma is 3 months older and Sadie has learned a lot from her.

By watching Emma she learned how to properly blow her nose into a tissue and how to sit on the big potty without being scared.

The above pic was from their last playdate on Wednesday when I was tending Emma...little did they know.

And of course we'll miss the whole family! I will especially miss Emma's mommy - Shauna...

You know those friends who make you want to be better? The ones that whenever you're around them you feel at ease, accepted, loved, and lifted. Well, one of my best friends moved away this last week too.

You'd think after moving 20+ times and leaving people behind I'd be used to it. But I guess it feels different when they leave you behind.

It all goes back to that fateful day 4 1/2 years ago when I (and another friend) noticed Shauna sitting alone in class and forced her to sit by us. She was more reserved and we were probably annoyingly outgoing. But she complied - and I'm glad she did! We became quick friends and study group buddies.

Then the twilight zone similarities started to come out...

• Shauna was waiting for a missionary - I had just married mine.
• We were both born on the exact same day, exact same year.

And the hilarious differences...

• In high school she was a cheerleader, I was a band geek - pretty sure we wouldn't have been friends back then.

About a year later I was going through one of the hardest personal trials I've experienced. I was hiding my depression and hopelessness. Apparently I wasn't hiding it well enough. =) Shauna just knew. She reached out to me. Gave me a very thoughtful card and a Hillary Weeks CD and told me to listen to a certain track.

That single act of service inspired by the Holy Ghost through a loving friend helped more than she'll ever know. Over the next few months I listened to that song over and over again. Eventually I got out of my rut - but I will never forget the kindness in one of my darkest hours. Shauna has taught me to listen to the spirit when prompted to help others - no questions asked. You'll never know the difference you might make.

Then we both had kids. Little girls close in age. I learned a lot watching Shauna parent Emma. And our parenting styles are ridiculously similar - for 2 reasons I think...1 - our personalities are very much alike & 2 - we have the same degree in Family and Human Development and had the same knowledge base to go off of. I trust Shauna implicitly with Sadie. In any situation she would more than likely do exactly what I would do.

Wow. This post turned out to be a lot longer (and more depressing) than I thought. I love you friend! Here's to hoping we are within driving distance from each other in 5 months! Have fun this summer!